1. Field of the Invention
The present invention comprises a fixture for repeatedly positioning an object having an equilaterally shaped cross-section. More specifically, the present invention provides a fixture for baseball bats having an automatic leveling feature in order to position the bats at the same elevation for laser engraving baseball bats of differing diameter.
2. Description of the Related Art
One of the steps involved in manufacturing wooden baseball bats is to engrave the manufacturer's insignia, logos, or even personalize the barrel of the bats prior to finishing the manufacturing process. Engravings may be formed by heating a piece of metal defining the insignia and stamping or branding the insignia into the wooden barrel of the baseball bat. Alternatively, the insignia, logo, or personalization may be cut into the bat by a blade or other hardened metal cutting tool. In any event, these prior art methods are very labor intensive and alternative means of cutting the barrel of a bat were developed.
Currently one method of engraving which manufacturers are utilizing is through the use of lasers. The lasers are typically in a fixed positioned above the baseball bat and are aimed at the barrel while the bats are held in position by clamps or fixtures. As this technology has emerged, another problem has developed. As one skilled in the art is well aware, various types of baseball bats are formed having different weights and sizes and as a result have varying diameters. For example, children's bats are often small while college and professional bats are longer and heavier. Further, souvenir bats are also available which are smaller than children's bats. However, the lasers must always be positioned at the fixed distance from the upper surface of the baseball bat, regardless of the diameter, so that the laser stays properly focused for cutting. Since the baseball bats have varying diameters, the laser must continually be focused to a proper distance when bats of varying diameter are utilized. Manually focusing the laser for each personalized bat substantially slows the manufacturing time and reduces output for bat manufacturers.
However, heretofore none of the known clamps or bat fixtures compensate for the varying diameters typical with engraving a plurality of bat sizes. Therefore, manufacturers must continually stop engraving to adjust clamps or fixtures for differing bat sizes in order to re-focus the cutting lasers.